GM Amalgamated Investments (Dulwich Hill) Pty Ltd v Mills [2014] NSWCA 202

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: GM Amalgamated Investments (Dulwich Hill) Pty Ltd v Mills [2014] NSWCA 202 Hearing dates: 6/05/2014 Decision date: 27 June 2014 Before: Emmett JA at [1]; Gleeson JA at [57]; Sackville AJA at [58] Decision: 1 Appeal dismissed. 2 Appellants pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: REAL PROPERTY - easements - short form "easement to drain water" in Pt 3 of Sch 8 to the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) - construction of proviso requiring the owners of the dominant tenement to restore the land to its "original condition" - whether proviso breached LIMITATION OF ACTIONS - contracts, torts and personal actions - when time begins to run - whether the cause of action was founded on contract, quasi-contract or tort - whether the cause of action was founded on a deed owing to s 36(11) of the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) ss 88B, 181A, 195A, 195B, 195G; Sch 8, Pt 3 Conveyancing (General) Regulation 1998 (NSW), cl 27, Pt 3 Div 3 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) ss 11(1), 14, 16 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) ss 3, 36(11) Cases Cited: Abingdon Corporation v James [1940] 1 Ch 287 Aspden v Seddon (1876) 1 Ex D 496 Clifford v Dove [2003] NSWSC 938; 11 BPR 98,038 Fanigun Pty Ltd v Woolworths Ltd [2006] QSC 28; 2 Qd R 366 Goodhart v Hyett (1883) 25 Ch D 182 Government Insurance Office (NSW) v KA Reed Services Pty Ltd [1988] VR 829 Halsall v Brizell [1956] 1 Ch 169 Jalnarne Limited v Ridewood (1989) 61 P&CR 143 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; 101 CLR 298 Rhone v Stephens [1994] 2 AC 310 Sertari Pty Ltd v Nirimba Developments Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 324; (2008) NSW ConvR ¶56-200 Texts Cited: AJ Bradbrook and SV MacCallum, Bradbrook and Neave's Easements and Restrictive Covenants (3rd ed 2011, LexisNexis Butterworths) Jonathan Gaunt and Justice Paul Morgan, Gale on Easements (19th ed 2012, Sweet & Maxwell) Category: Principal judgment Parties: GM Amalgamated Investments (Dulwich Hill) Pty Ltd (ACN 000 699 221) (First Appellant) JM Associated Investments (Dulwich Hill) Pty Ltd (ACN 000 699 212) (Second Appellant) Bernadette Mills (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Pritchard SC with AJ Macauley (First and Second Appellants) F Corsaro SC (Respondent) Solicitors: Somerset Ryckmans (First and Second Appellants) Mills Oakley Lawyers (Respondent) File Number(s): 2013/159286 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Citation: Bernadette Mills v GM Amalgamated Investments (Dulwich Hill) Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 519 Date of Decision: 2013-05-09 00:00:00 Before: Nicholas J File Number(s): 2008/282076